Tottenham manager blasts Benfica coach after Europa League defeat

Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood has hit out at Benfica coach Jorge Jesus after the two managers were involved in a touchline row during Spur’s 3-1 home Europa League loss.

The Portuguese boss celebrated his team’s third goal by raising three fingers in front of Sherwood.

This led to a confrontation and the two did not shake hands at full time.

The defeat now puts Spurs in a difficult position to qualify for the quarter-finals, which comes after the manager saying that players were “playing for their future” following a 4-0 Premier League defeat by London neighbors Chelsea last Saturday.

“I thought his team were very good, got a lot of class. It’s a pity he [Jesus] doesn’t,” Sherwood told BBC.

“In the first two minutes he was coming over to the fourth official saying I was stepping in his box,” he said.

“He doesn’t mind himself, does he, to be fair? Waving goodbye like that with three fingers? It lacks class. Why would anyone do that?

“He’s got a good side, of course he has, but, nah, not for me thank you. I have no intention of speaking to him.”

Jesus however insisted that his gesture was directed at Benfica captain Luisao after the third goal.

“I was saying: ‘number three, Luisao, number three,” he said. “Maybe here in England the benches are too close together, compared to in Portugal.

“In Portugal, we have more space apart and we can demonstrate ourselves in our own way.

“When at some stage I invaded Tim Sherwood’s personal space, he told me to go to mine. He did the same to me. But it was no more than that, it was quite pleasant in the end.”